Robin Thicke’s “Paula” Headed for Disappointing First-Week Sales

Image Courtesy ABC/Kelsey McNealRobin Thicke‘s new album, Paula, is projected to have a lackluster sales start. Following his chart-topping Billboard Hot 100 hit “Blurred Lines,” the singer’s newest set is expected to sell around 20,000 to 23,000 copies by the end of the tracking week on July 6.

According to Billboard, first-week sales of Thicke’s ode to his estranged wife, Paula Patton, will mark a sizable decline from those for his previous effort, 2013’s Blurred Lines, which debuted at number one with first-week sales of 177,000 copies.

Industry forecasters suggest Paula could serve as the smallest debut for Thicke since 2007’s The Evolution of Robin Thicke, which bowed with 20,000 copies sold. Despite the disappointing sales estimate, the disc could debut in the top 10 on the Billboard 200, making it potentially Thicke’s fifth top 10 effort.